Seroepidemiologic Survey of Potential Pathogens in Obligate and Facultative Scavenging Avian Species in California

Straub, Mary H.; Kelly, Terra R.; Rideout, Bruce A.; Eng, Curtis; Wynne, Janna; Braun, Josephine; Johnson, Christine K.

Here, in our serosurvey, we evaluated exposure to avian pathogens that have been reported to cause disease in a variety of wild bird species, including avian adenovirus, Chlamydophila psittaci, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) (Arkansas (Ark), Connecticut (Conn) and Massachusetts (Mass) strains), Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, avian paramyxovirus-1 (AVPM-1, Newcastle Disease virus), avian paramyxovirus-2 (AVPM-2), avian paramyxovirus-3 (AVPM-3), avian reovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, and WNV [21, [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] . Adenoviruses have been implicated in outbreaks involving three species of falcons which resulted in severe disease and death of numerous birds [46, 52] , and exposure to adenoviruses has been detected in common buzzards (Buteo buteo) [44] . Chlamydophila psittaci, which can result in fatal respiratory disease in some avian species, has been previously isolated from many species of wild birds, including raptors [50, 53] . Infectious bronchitis virus, which causes severe respiratory disease in poultry is a coronavirus and genetically similar viruses have been detected in wild birds [54, 55] . Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. synoviae are economically important pathogens in poultry, causing respiratory disease (M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae) and synovitis (M. synoviae). Mycoplasma gallisepticum has been associated with respiratory disease in peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) [56] and other wild avian species [57] . In the late 1990's, M. gallisepticum emerged in house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) in the eastern United States and has since spread across the USA [37] . Avian paramyxovirus-1, also known as Newcastle Disease virus, is most commonly associated with disease in poultry [58] , but has also been found in both clinically affected [21] and healthy raptors [59] as well as many other species of wild birds [60] . Avian paramyxovirus-2 primarily affects poultry, causing respiratory and reproductive disease in turkeys and chickens [61] [62] [63] . However, APMV-2 has also been reported in several wild bird species including mallard ducks [64] , passerines [65] and raptors [66] . Avian paramyxovirus-3 also causes reproductive disease in turkeys [58] , and has been reported in multiple species of wild birds [43, 67] . Reoviruses are associated with many disease processes and high mortality in various wild bird species [42, 68, 69] . Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoal parasite that clinically affects many avian species [41, 70] and was reported to cause fatal myocarditis of a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) [71] .